The adventures of a first year teacher.

04/19/2011

Nothing says welcome to your new town like...

I have been cleaning out my apartment recently. It is surprising the things you find when you start cleaning. This reminds me of when I moved here in July.

First things first, realize that I filled my car, a full size Yukon, AND the biggest U-Haul trailer that is offered that isn’t a truck. On the day I moved, several people came to help me move. We packed everything into the vehicles and trailer. Both vehicles were full to the max, along with the trailer. The trailer was so full that we had to leave out my TV stand and a few kitchen chairs. If there was ever a point in my life that I questioned having too much stuff, this was it.

My parents left with the trailer and we stayed to finish cleaning the apartment. At 10:30 PM, I finally got to Aberdeen. I was excited to arrive, but not as excited when I opened the door to the apartment. Upon arrival, we realized that the apartment was a blazing 80 degrees. So, off to Walmart we went for a better air conditioner. Relief washed over us as we found one! So, at 11:00 PM, my dad and I installed my new air conditioner. PS: We also had to buy a drill. As we worked on installing the AC, we heard an unusual noise. I looked at my dad and said, “Did that sound like a gunshot to you?” He said, “You know, I think it did.” So we looked out the window but there was nothing to see. Nothing says welcome to your new town like the sound of a gunshot!

We finally got the new air conditioner installed so it was livable in my new apartment. We went to bed with thoughts of the next day looming in our heads. The next morning, we woke up bright and early so we could do what my family always does, go out to eat. We arrived at I-hop just in time for morning brunch. We began to dread the shear amount of “stuff” that we would have to lug up three flights of stairs. Between the four of us, Jason’s roommate, and a little help from a neighbor, we got everything moved in.

Now that everything was moved in, the question was what next? Surrounded by furniture and boxes stacks upon boxes, I had to decide what to unpack first. Jason and my parents left and so the silence set in. Once I finally stopped living out of boxes, my apartment started to feel like home.